Logan’s Point of View~

As I stood there, my heart sank deeper into my chest, a strange heaviness settled in my legs, as though they had been rooted into the ground. It felt impossible to move, impossible to breathe properly. The air inside the hall suddenly felt colder, sharper, a complete contrast to the warmth of the sun I had just stepped out of.

My gaze drifted slowly across the hall, taking in the intricate carvings along the walls, the golden patterns that reflected the chandelier lights, the soft glow that bathed everything in quiet luxury. Yet none of it truly registered in my mind.

All I could think about was her.

Emily.

And the man standing beside her.

Watching her laugh softly as Collin leaned closer and whispered something into her ear made something inside me crack. The sound of her laughter echoed faintly in my ears, familiar yet distant, and it sent a sharp ache through my chest. It felt as though the very air in my lungs had been cut off, leaving me struggling to breathe.

Collin stood beside her, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that hugged his frame with precision. There was an effortless confidence in the way he carried himself, a quiet authority that made him stand out even in a room filled with powerful men. There was something unsettling about him, something that made my jaw tighten instinctively.

In that moment, everything around me faded.

The music softened into nothing.

The voices blurred.

Time itself seemed to slow, stretching painfully as I remained frozen, watching them.

“This is insane,” Martin muttered beside me, his brows drawn together as he emptied the contents of his goblet in one go. I watched his throat move as he swallowed, but my attention quickly shifted back to her.

“Emily… the CEO of Imperial Holdings. And not just that, she is with Collin, your business rival. It sounds ridiculous even as I say it out loud.”

I did not respond.

I could not.

My eyes remained fixed on her.

Her lips, tinted a deep ruby shade, curved beautifully as she smiled. The fitted suit she wore accentuated every curve of her body with striking elegance. Her skin glowed under the lights, smooth and flawless, almost unreal.

She looked different.

No.

She looked… reborn.

Refined. Elevated. Untouchable.

A strange heat surged through me, catching me off guard, tightening low in my body in a way I did not expect. I clenched my jaw, forcing my gaze to steady, but it did nothing to quiet the storm rising within me.

It was as if she had been sculpted all over again.

Like something dangerous.

Something irresistible.

“What do you think, Logan?” Martin pressed, his voice cutting through my thoughts. “Do you really think that is Emily?”

I narrowed my eyes slightly, studying her more closely.

Every movement she made carried confidence. Every glance, every smile, every step felt deliberate, controlled. There was mystery wrapped around her like a veil.

But I knew.

“I am not mistaken,” I said quietly, my voice low and tight. “That is Emily. There is no doubt.”

Even as I spoke, there was something desperate beneath my words, something I could not hide.

Because the woman before me felt both familiar and completely out of reach.

As I watched her, I noticed the light in her eyes.

Happiness.

Something I had never seen when she was with me.

I ran my fingers through my hair slowly, my grip tightening as I grabbed my drink and finished it in one go. The burn of the alcohol did nothing to calm me.

Nothing else mattered.

Nothing else held my attention.

All I wanted was to speak to her.

Alone.

“Logan.”

Vivian’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“What is it?” I replied, my tone rough, my eyes still lingering in Emily’s direction before I finally turned to her.

Vivian followed my gaze, her expression shifting as realization began to dawn on her.

She studied Emily carefully, as though trying to piece everything together.

Then she sighed.

“Looks like we lost the necklace,” she said, her voice laced with disappointment. “I really wanted it.”

Her words grated against my nerves.

I clenched my fists slightly, irritation building inside me.

Sensing the shift in my mood, she softened her tone.

“It is fine,” she added quickly. “You tried your best.”

Her fingers brushed lightly against my neck, her touch soft and deliberate as she leaned closer. Her breath fanned against my ear as she whispered,

“Why do I feel like that woman is Emily? She looks exactly like her… or am I imagining things?”

Her words struck something deep inside me, but my expression remained unchanged.

If only she knew.

That the woman standing just a few steps away was not just someone who looked like Emily.

She was Emily.

“Did you see how she walked in?” Vivian continued softly. “The necklace would have been yours if she had not shown up.”

I exhaled sharply and turned toward her, my patience thinning.

“Can you stop talking about the necklace for a moment, Vivian?”

My voice came out harsher than I intended.

She went quiet instantly, lowering her gaze to the wine in her glass.

The tension between us lingered, but it was quickly overshadowed when the MC’s voice echoed through the hall.

“We kindly ask all bidders to proceed with documentation for their purchases. Unfortunately, the meeting with the CEO of Imperial Holdings will be postponed.”

A wave of murmurs spread across the room.

Disappointment was clear on every face.

My jaw tightened.

I ran my fingers through my hair again, frustration building rapidly.

Not meeting the CEO today was unacceptable.

“I guess that means you will not be seeing Emily again,” Martin said casually, refilling his glass.

Vivian’s head snapped toward him.

Her eyes widened, her expression shifting from confusion to shock as his words sank in.

Slowly, she turned back toward Emily.

“Wait… that is actually Emily?” she whispered, disbelief coating her voice. “So the CEO of Imperial Holdings is your ex wife?”

Her voice rose slightly, drawing attention from nearby guests.

I shot her a sharp look.

“Lower your voice,” I said coldly. “Do you want to be thrown out of here?”

She went silent immediately, though her eyes remained fixed on Emily, now filled with something darker.

Contempt.

Jealousy.

“Tell me this is not real,” she murmured under her breath.

I did not answer.

Because I knew it was.

The MC continued speaking, mentioning future appointments and her busy schedule, but his words barely registered.

One thing was clear in my mind.

I had to see her.

No matter what.

The event gradually came to an end, with guests surrounding her, eager to speak, to be seen with her, to be acknowledged.

And Collin was always there.

Standing too close.

Touching her.

Claiming space that should not belong to him.

It irritated me more than I wanted to admit.

I stood up, ready to walk toward her, but Vivian’s hand wrapped around mine, stopping me.

She rose to her feet, a small, calculated smile forming on her lips.

“Let us go together,” she said smoothly. “It is better that way.”

I exhaled slowly, then nodded.

Together, we walked toward them.

Emily was smiling as she spoke to Collin, but the moment her eyes landed on me, that smile disappeared.

Completely.

Her gaze moved over me slowly, deliberately, from head to toe, as though assessing, measuring.

Then she did the same to Vivian.

The faint smirk on her lips was enough to ignite irritation in Vivian instantly.

I tightened my grip on Vivian’s wrist, silently warning her not to react.

I forced a smile and extended my hand toward Emily.

She did not take it.

Instead, her voice came, calm and sharp.

“Did you not hear the announcement? I am not attending to guests right now.”

Her words cut through me with precision.

Cold.

Distant.

Unfamiliar.

For a brief moment, I felt something close to intimidation.

But I suppressed it.

She was right.

Still, the sting remained.

Because I had seen her speak to others.

Yet she refused me.

Before I could respond, Collin stepped forward, placing himself directly between us.

His gaze locked onto mine, cold and unwelcoming.

There was no warmth in his eyes.

Only hostility.

It was clear.

He saw me as nothing.

But I refused to back down.

Not here.

Not now.

“I will be leaving,” Emily said softly, turning to him.

“The driver is here.”

She smiled at him.

And then, without hesitation, he pulled her closer and kissed her.

Right in front of me.

Vivian scoffed quietly, her expression darkening with jealousy.

But she was not the only one.

Because deep down, beneath the anger, beneath the confusion…

I knew the truth.

I was far more affected than she was.